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- The cunning but wise Celso de los Angeles, Jr.
- Update on the bank run of Legacy rural banks
- All about the Legacy Group and the collapse of rural banks and pre-need companies
The Legacy Financial Group and the Rural Bank of Paranaque (also called Banco Paranaque) of the famous double-your-money time deposit programs are now being thrown into the limelight following recent news articles that mention the bank’s supposed involvement in swindling, fake certificate of time deposits (CTDs) and extortion. The bank has come clean and denied all accusations.
Who between the accused and the accusers is telling the truth? How will this affect the high-yield time deposit placements of the bank’s depositors? Read the news stories below which were published in some local dailies and judge for yourself.
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SEC clarifies confusion stirred by “extort” group
- From the People’s Tonight, published on Wednesday, June 13, 2007
THE Securities and Exchange Commission yesterday confirmed the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas statement that it is the sole agency that could extend the life of a bank.
In an interview, Atty. C.A. Lukban, Securities and Exchange Commission board secretary, said the BSP is the primary regulatory agency of banks and not the SEC.
“A bank is a special corporation, that’s why for a bank to extend its life, it would need a Certificate of Authority from the BSP, before the SEC can proceed with its role on this regard, which is merely ministerial,” Lukban clarified.
“The right thing to do for a bank, meanwhile, is to make amendments to the articles of incorporation and make sure that these have been approved by the board of directors before filing it with the SEC, “ Lukban added.
The issue surfaced after an alleged group of extortionists filed a complaint with the BSP regarding the Rural Bank of Parañaque, insisting that the bank failed to extend its corporate life. The group was reportedly asking millions of pesos from the bank so they would not publicize their complaint.
Tonight, however, obtained a copy of a Certificate of Authority from the BSP to extend the life of the RBOP.
The BSP also released a statement saying the agency would be more cautious in accepting complaints to avoid being dragged into the operation of certain criminal elements.
The SEC joined BSP in clarifying the issue after two alleged members of the extortion syndicate, lawyers Ramon Diño and Felipe Arcilla, released a joint statement saying that the “BSP has no power to extend the life of a bank.”
Diño was suspended by the Supreme Court before for grave misconduct and was issued multiple warrants of arrest for extortion and libel by Branches 88 and 213 of RTC Quezon City and Mandaluyong, respectively.
“It is much the same thing with schools which like banks are also special corporations, that a school may extend its life only after the Department of Education issues a Certificate of Authority which is the primary requisite and the SEC received the certification and the amendments to the articles of incorporation duly approved by its board, ” Lukban said. “In such instances when these are complied with, formality lang kami. I hope this clarifies everything.”
In a joint statement, Diño and Arcilla stressed that only the “SEC may amend the articles of a corporation in the Philippines, including a bank. The BSP may only endorse, but it has no power to extend its life. And up to now, 38 days after its expiration, the Rural Bank of Parañaque has yet to extend its life by the SEC.”
Both lawyers said “this is the clear provision of the Corporation Code and the General Banking Act of 2000. The counsels headed some 28 complainants in their administrative complaints with the Bangko Sentral against Celso delos Angeles and 20 other officials of the Rural Bank of Parañaque.
“This alleged BSP senior official should consult her legal department first before expressing her opinion and arrogance. She should identify herself. There is nothing to fear when there is nothing to hide,” said the lawyers.
Arcilla and Diño stressed that they do not represent Bulos and Gen. Saavedra.
“We are not an extortion group. We have not fought nor sued any other bank except the RBOP and its affiliated banks because of their multibillion-peso double-your-money scam. What we are demanding is for them to return the hard-earned money that they have taken thru the issuance of “fake certificate of time deposits (CTDs) to the innocent clients of Scholarship Plan Phils Inc., Legacy Pension Plans, Legacy Consolidated Plans Inc., All-Asia Consolidated Plans, Center Bank of Alabang and other CTDs issued by Legacy agents and their affiliated rural banks nationwide. Thousands of these CTDs are bogus. We can prove it,” said the lawyers.
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Extort group irritates BSP
- From the People’s Journal, published on Monday, June 11, 2007
A SENIOR official of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas has expressed disgust over the statements issued to media by an alleged extortion group preying on banks.
The official, who requested anonymity, said in an interview the extortion group, uncovered by the National Bureau of Investigation, is falsely using the name of the BSP to harass its prospective victims.
“Anybody may file a complaint at the BSP against a bank, but what is irregular is that the alleged extortionists would now use the complaint to threaten their victims to give in to their demands or they would publicize their complaint, regardless if the complaint would hold water or not,” said the official.
The official was referring to an article published last Saturday, wherein former banker Honorio C. Bulos, who was blacklisted by the BSP for banking violations, issued a statement allegedly in an attempt to destroy the image of the Rural Bank of Parañaque.
“How can anyone in his right mind do that? A bank is a public trust and it thrives on its image and confidence of the depositors. If anyone has an axe to grind, he or she better use the courts and not just drag the name of the BSP and a banking institution for their personal squabbles,” the official said.
“We are extra cautious in accepting complaints at the BSP so as to protect establishments from opportunists, poseurs and extortionists,” the official added.
The news item also quoted lawyer Felipe Arcilla, allegedly a member of the extortion group, saying the BSP has no jurisdiction over the extension of a bank’s corporate life.
“That man should review his law books or should shift professions,” the BSP official said. “By golly! We are talking of extending the life of a bank, by legal and common sense the BSP should be involved.”
The extortion group’s members reportedly include Victor Fortuna, who was arrested in an entrapment by the NBI for extortion and grave threats, as well as Shahara Abdullah and lawyer Ramon Dino, who were issued warrants of arrest for extortion and libel by Branches 88 and 213 of RTC Quezon City and Mandaluyong, respectively.
The supposed extortion gang is allegedly demanding millions of pesos from RBOP and spreading false information that its corporate life has expired.
“We (BSP) have just given the subject bank a certificate of authority to extend its corporate life for another 50 years last April 30. What do people expect? Of course, everything has to undergo a process,” the official added.
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Paranaque bank execs under fire for “swindle”
- From the People’s Tonight, published on Saturday, June 9, 2007
Former Banco Paranaque president/owner, Honorio C. Bulos Jr. and retired Southcom chief Maj. Gen. Ramberto B. Saavedra have filed complaints before the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas as well as the Securities and Exchange Commission, denouncing the “existence of a large-scale swindling syndicate involving a number of RBOP senior officials.
The complainants added that the documents submitted by the RBOP officials to the BSP and the SEC calling for the amendment of its articles of incorporation were made behind their backs, as these did not contain the required stockholders and board approval as provided by law.
Bulos and Saavedra alleged that such move placed them “all the more in the minority” and reportedly enabled the RBOP management to cover up irregularities affecting the bank.
The ex-BP president claimed the group of Celso delos Angeles Jr. took over the bank in 1997 thru misrepresentation. In his letter to the Bangko Sentral dated June 5, 2007, Bulos stated, “as former owner, president and majority stockholder of the Rural Bank of Paranaque, I simply cannot, in conscience, just keep my mouth shut while the bank that I helped organize and establish in the early 1980s thru sweat and tears ‘will just go to the dogs’. I have suffered in silence all these years just so that we can avoid a scandal, hoping against hope that things may change for the better as people can always reform – “all for the sake of the bank that I have cared for the best years of my life, including now. But reaching the twilight years of my life, I am morally convinced that this evil must be put to a stop NOW even if it costs my life!”
Bulos and Saavedra complained that the Banco Paranaque has not called any board or stockholders meeting for the past years. They also expressed concern on the various complaints that have been filed against the bank’s officials regarding lending operations and time deposits.
In a separate development, Atty. Felipe Arcilla, counsel of the 28 complainants who recently filed an administrative case with the BSP, declared that contrary to the allegations contained in a news item by the lawyers of Delos Angeles, only the SEC can extend the life of a corporation (including a bank) in the Philippines.
“The Bangko Sentral can only endorse the extension, but it has no power to extend it. Up to this time, 38 days after its expiration, the SEC has not yet extended the life of this bank,” added Arcilla.
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Parañaque bank counters false info
- From the People’s Journal, published on Friday, June 8, 2007
A Tonight article with the headline “Parañaque bank in hot water,” which was published yesterday involving the Rural Bank of Parañaque and Legacy, is part of the ongoing attempts of a group to extort money from the two business entities.
In a press statement, the Tiongson and Antenor Cruz Law Office disclosed that the false information being spread by lawyer Ramon S. Dino, Shahara Abdullah, Victor Fortuna and lawyer Felipe Arcilla was part of the group’s alleged attempt to extort and victimize the bank and its major stockhold law firm.
“We take this opportunity to correct the false information and misrepresentation contained in the news story.”
“Neither Dino, Abdullah or Fortuna are depositors/clients of RBP and Legacy yet they filed complaints against these institutions claiming as such while demanding a pay-off.
“When RBP et al refused their demands, letters and e-mails purportedly coming from various NGOs were circulated, going so far as to threaten the BSP governor in case he does not kowtow to their ‘demands,’’ they added.
The firm also denied that RBP’s corporate life already ended, and even showed a Certificate of Authority from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas through Dir. Leilani M. Canullas on April 30, enabling the bank to register its amended articles of incorporations, including the extension of its corporate life for another fifty (50) years.
The law firm also urged the public “to be vigilant in distinguishing between valid complaints against entities as opposed to extortion attempts and other criminal designs of these individuals.”
The National Bureau of Investigation uncovered the syndicate victimizing banks and the personalities behind them.
Involved in this syndicate are Ramon Dino, Abdullah Shahara and Victor Fortuna.
Warrants of arrest for the arrest of the three suspects were issued by the Regional Trial Courts of Makati Citry, Mandaluyong and Quezon City,
Dino was a lawyer who was suspended by the Supreme Court for gross misconduct, while Shahara owns a recruitment agency whose license has been cancelled by the Philippine Overseas Employment Agency because of illegal recruitment.
Fortuna, on the other hand, had been arrested by the NBI last year because of grave threats.
It was learned that the group uses dummy organizations like the Katipunan ng mga Aping Pinoy at Anti-Graft League of the Philippines. They send out malicious letters with fake return addresses,
According to Jerry Abiera of the NBI, the group’s modus operandi is to infiltrate a business organization and then collect information and data regarding the company’s business and its clients.
Valuable information such as personal secrets, dissatisfied clients and past scandals are then used to blackmail the company and its owners.
“These information are used to extort millions of pesos and if the subject fails to pay, the syndicate will send out white papers or poison letters which will be sent to the business owner’s associates through mail, e-mail or text messages,” Abiera said.
He added that should their victims give in to the group’s demand, this was the start of its effort to fleece them until they go bankrupt.
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Syndicate extorting banks uncovered
- From the People’s Journal, published on Friday, June 8, 2007
THE National Bureau of Investigation has uncovered a syndicate allegedly victimizing banks.
The members of the group were identified as Ramon Dino, Abdullah Shahara and Victor Fortuna.
Warrants of arrest for the three were issued by the Regional Trial Courts of Makati Mandaluyong and Quezon cities.
Dino was a lawyer who was disbarred by the Supreme Court for gross misconduct while Shahara owns a recruitment agency whose license has been cancelled by the Philippine Overseas Employment Agency for illegal recruitment.
Fortuna, on the other hand, was arrested by the NBI last year because of grave threats.
It was learned that the group uses dummy organizations like the Katipunan ng mga Aping Pinoy at Anti-Graft League of the Philippines. They send out malicious letters with fake return addresses.
According to Jerry Abiera of the NBI, the group’s modus operandi is to infiltrate a business organization and then collect information and data regarding the company’s business and its clients.
Valuable information such as personal secrets, dissatisfied clients and past scandals are then used to blackmail the company and its owners.
“These information are used to extort millions of pesos and if the subject fails to pay, the syndicate will send out white papers or poison letters to business owner’s associates through mail, e-mail or text messages,” Abierra said.
He added that should their victims give in to the demand, the group will fleece them until they go bankrupt.
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